the complete writings-2-第3章

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　going　far　to　see。　　The　avenues　are　full　of　children；　whose　animated　play；　light　laughter；　and　happy　chatter；　and　pretty；　picturesque　dress；　make　a　sort　of　fairy　grove　of　the　garden；　and　all　the　nurses　of　that　quarter　bring　their　charges　there；　and　sit　in　the　shade；　sewing；　gossiping；　and　comparing　the　merits　of　the　little　dears。　　One　baby　differs　from　another　in　glory；　I　suppose；　but　I　think　on　such　days　that　they　are　all　lovely；　taken　in　the　mass；　and　all　in　sweet　harmony　with　the　delicious　atmosphere；　the　tender　green；　and　the　other　flowers　of　spring。　　A　baby　can't　do　better　than　to　spend　its　spring　days　in　the　Luxembourg　Garden。

There　are　several　ways　of　seeing　Paris　besides　roaming　up　and　down　before　the　blazing　shop…windows；　and　lounging　by　daylight　or　gaslight　along　the　crowded　and　gay　boulevards；　and　one　of　the　best　is　to　go　to　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　on　a　fete…day；　or　when　the　races　are　in　progress。　　This　famous　wood　is　very　disappointing　at　first　to　one　who　has　seen　the　English　parks；　or　who　remembers　the　noble　trees　and　glades　and　avenues　of　that　at　Munich。　　To　be　sure；　there　is　a　lovely　little　lake　and　a　pretty　artificial　cascade；　and　the　roads　and　walks　are　good；　but　the　trees　are　all　saplings；　and　nearly　all　the　〃wood〃　is　a　thicket　of　small　stuff。　　Yet　there　is　green　grass　that　one　can　roll　on；　and　there　is　a　grove　of　small　pines　that　one　can　sit　under。　It　is　a　pleasant　place　to　drive　toward　evening；　but　its　great　attraction　is　the　crowd　there。　　All　the　principal　avenues　are　lined　with　chairs；　and　there　people　sit　to　watch　the　streams　of　carriages。

I　went　out　to　the　Bois　the　other　day；　when　there　were　races　going　on；　not　that　I　went　to　the　races；　for　I　know　nothing　about　them；　per　se；　and　care　less。　　All　running　races　are　pretty　much　alike。　　You　see　a　lean　horse；　neck　and　tail；　flash　by　you；　with　a　jockey　in　colors　on　his　back；　and　that　is　the　whole　of　it。　　Unless　you　have　some　money　on　it；　in　the　pool　or　otherwise；　it　is　impossible　to　raise　any　excitement。　　The　day　I　went　out；　the　Champs　Elysees；　on　both　sides；　its　whole　length；　was　crowded　with　people；　rows　and　ranks　of　them　sitting　in　chairs　and　on　benches。　　The　Avenue　de　l'Imperatrice；　from　the　Arc　de　l'Etoile　to　the　entrance　of　the　Bois；　was　full　of　promenaders；　and　the　main　avenues　of　the　Bois；　from　the　chief　entrance　to　the　race…course；　were　lined　with　people；　who　stood　or　sat；　simply　to　see　the　passing　show。　　There　could　not　have　been　less　than　ten　miles　of　spectators；　in　double　or　triple　rows；　who　had　taken　places　that　afternoon　to　watch　the　turnouts　of　fashion　and　rank。　These　great　avenues　were　at　all　times；　from　three　till　seven；　filled　with　vehicles；　and　at　certain　points；　and　late　in　the　day；　there　was；　or　would　have　been　anywhere　else　except　in　Paris；　a　jam。　　I　saw　a　great　many　splendid　horses；　but　not　so　many　fine　liveries　as　one　will　see　on　a　swell…day　in　London。　　There　was　one　that　I　liked。　　A　handsome　carriage；　with　one　seat；　was　drawn　by　four　large　and　elegant　black　horses；　the　two　near　horses　ridden　by　postilions　in　blue　and　silver；blue　roundabouts；　white　breeches　and　topboots；　a　round…　topped　silver　cap；　and　the　hair；　or　wig；　powdered；　and　showing　just　a　little　behind。　　A　footman　mounted　behind；　seated；　wore　the　same　colors；　and　the　whole　establishment　was　exceedingly　tonnish。

The　race…track　（Longchamps；　as　it　is　called）；　broad　and　beautiful　springy　turf；　is　not　different　from　some　others；　except　that　the　inclosed　oblong　space　is　not　flat；　but　undulating　just　enough　for　beauty；　and　so　framed　in　by　graceful　woods；　and　looked　on　by　chateaux　and　upland　forests；　that　I　thought　I　had　never　seen　a　sweeter　bit　of　greensward。　　St。　Cloud　overlooks　it；　and　villas　also　regard　it　from　other　heights。　　The　day　I　saw　it；　the　horse…chestnuts　were　in　bloom；　and　there　was；　on　the　edges；　a　cloud　of　pink　and　white　blossoms；　that　gave　a　soft　and　charming　appearance　to　the　entire　landscape。　　The　crowd　in　the　grounds；　in　front　of　the　stands　for　judges；　royalty；　and　people　who　are　privileged　or　will　pay　for　places；　was；　I　suppose；　much　as　usual；an　excited　throng　of　young　and　jockey…looking　men；　with　a　few　women…gamblers　in　their　midst；　making　up　the　pool；　a　pack　of　carriages　along　the　circuit　of　the　track；　with　all　sorts　of　people；　except　the　very　good；　and　conspicuous　the　elegantly　habited　daughters　of　sin　and　satin；　with　servants　in　livery；　as　if　they　had　been　born　to　it；　gentlemen　and　ladies　strolling　about；　or　reclining　on　the　sward；　and　a　refreshment…stand　in　lively　operation。

When　the　bell　rang；　we　all　cleared　out　from　the　track；　and　I　happened　to　get　a　position　by　the　railing。　　I　was　looking　over　to　the　Pavilion；　where　I　supposed　the　Emperor　to　be；　when　the　man　next　to　me　cried；　〃Voila！〃　and；　looking　up；　two　horses　brushed　right　by　my　face；　of　which　I　saw　about　two　tails　and　one　neck；　and　they　were　gone。　Pretty　soon　they　came　round　again；　and　one　was　ahead；　as　is　apt　to　be　the　case；　and　somebody　cried；　〃Bully　for　Therise！〃　or　French　to　that　effect；　and　it　was　all　over。　　Then　we　rushed　across　to　the　Emperor's　Pavilion；　except　that　I　walked　with　all　the　dignitV　consistent　with　rapidity；　and　there；　in　the　midst　of　his　suite；　sat　the　Man　of　December；　a　stout；　broad；　and　heavy…faced　man　as　you　know；　but　a　man　who　impresses　one　with　a　sense　of　force　and　purpose；sat；　as　I　say；　and　looked　at　us　through　his　narrow；　half…shut　eyes；　till　he　was　satisfied　that　I　had　got　his　features　through　my　glass；　when　he　deliberately　arose　and　went　in。

All　Paris　was　out　that　day；it　is　always　out；　by　the　way；　when　the　sun　shines；　and　in　whatever　part　of　the　city　you　happen　to　be；　and　it　seemed　to　me　there　was　a　special　throng　clear　down　to　the　gate　of　the　Tuileries；　to　see　the　Emperor　and　the　rest　of　us　come　home。　　He　went　round　by　the　Rue　Rivoli；　but　I　walked　through　the　gardens。　　The　soldiers　from　Africa　sat　by　the　gilded　portals；　as　usual；aliens；　and　yet　always　with　the　port　of　conquerors　here　in　Paris。　　Their　nonchalant　indifference　and　soldierly　bearing　always　remind　me　of　the　sort　of　force　the　Emperor　has　at　hand　to　secure　his　throne。　　I　think　the　blouses　must　look　askance　at　these　satraps　of　the　desert。　　The　single　jet　fountain　in　the　basin　was　springing　its　highest；a　quivering　pillar　of　water　to　match　the　stone　shaft　of　Egypt　which　stands　close　by。　　The　sun　illuminated　it；　and　threw　a　rainbow　from　it　a　hundred　feet　long；　upon　the　white　and　green　dome　of　chestnut…trees　near。　　When　I　was　farther　down　the　avenue；　I　had　the　dancing　column　of　water；　the　obelisk；　and　the　Arch　of　Triumph　all　in　line；　and　the　rosy　sunset　beyond。




AN　IMPERIAL　REVIEW

The　Prince　and　Princess　of　Wales　came　up　to　Paris　in　the　beginning　of　May；　from　Italy；　Egypt；　and　alongshore；　stayed　at　a　hotel　on　the　Place　Vendome；　where　they　can　get　beef　that　is　not　horse；　and　is　rare；　and　beer　brewed　in　the　royal　dominions；　and　have　been　entertained　with　cordiality　by　the　Emperor。　　Among　the　spectacles　which　he　has　shown　them　is　one　calculated　to　give　them　an　idea　of　his　peaceful　intentions；…a　grand　review　of　cavalry　and　artillery　at　the　Bois　de　Boulogne。　　It　always　seems　to　me　a　curious　comment　upon　the　state　of　our　modern　civilization；

when　one　prince　visits　another　here　in　Europe；　the　first　thing　that　the　visited　does；　by　way　of　hospitality　is　to　get　out　his　troops；　and　show　his　rival　how　easily　he　could　〃lick〃　him；　if　it　came　to　that。　It　is　a　little　puerile。　　At　any　rate；　it　is　an　advance　upon　the　old　fashion　of　getting　up　a　joust　at　arms；　and　inviting　the　guest　to　come　out　and　have　his　head　cracked　in　a　friendly　way。

The　review；　which　had　been　a　good　deal　talked　about；　came　off　in　the　afternoon；　and　all　the　world　went　to　it。　　The　avenues　of　the　Bois　were　crowded　with　carriages；　and　the　walks　with　footpads。　　Such　a　constellation　of　royal　personages　met　on　one　field　must　be　seen；　for；　besides　the　imperial　family　and　Albert　Edward　and　his　Danish　beauty；　there　was　to　be　the　Archduke　of　Austria）　and　no　end　of　titled　personages　besides。　　At　three　o'clock　the　royal　company；　in　the　Emperor's　carriages；　drove　upon　the　training…ground　of　the　Bois；　where　the　troops　awaited　them。　　All　the　party；　except　the　Princess　of　Wales；　then　mounted　horses；　and　rode　along　the　lines；　and　afterwards　retired　to　a　wood…covered　knoll　at　one　end　to　witness　the　evolutions。　The　training…ground　is　a　noble；　slightly　undulating　piece　of　greensward；　perhaps　three　quarters　of　a　mile　long　and　half　that　in　breadth；　hedged　about　with　graceful　trees；　and　bounded　on　one　side　by　the　Seine。　　Its　borders　were　rimmed　that　day　with　thousands　of　people　on　foot　and　in　carriages；a　gay　sight；　in　itself；　of　color　and　fashion。　　A　more　brilliant　spectacle　than　the　field　presented　cannot　well　be　imagined。　　Attention　was　divided　between　the　gentle　eminence　where　the　imperial　party　stood；a　throng　of　noble　persons　backed　by　the　gay　and　glittering　Guard　of　the　Emperor；　as　brave　a　show　as　chivalry　ever　made；and　the　field　of　green；　with　its　long　lines　in　martial　array；　every　variety　of　splendid　uniforms；　the　colors　and　combinations　that　most　dazzle　and　attract；　with　shining　brass　and　gleaming　steel；　and　magnificent　horses　of　war；　regiments　of　black；　gray；　and　bay。

The　evolutions　were　such　as　to　stir　the　blood　of　the　most　sluggish。　A　regiment；　full　front；　would　charge　down　upon　a　dead　run　from　the　far　field；　men　shouting；　sabers　flashing；　horses　thundering　along；　so　that　the　ground　shook；　towards　the　imperial　party；　and；　when　near；　stop　suddenly；　wheel　to　right　and　left；　and　gallop　back。　　Others　would　succeed　them　rapidly；　coming　up　the　center　while　their　predecessors　filed　down　the　sides；　so　that　the　whole　field　was　a　moving　mass　of　splendid　color　and　glancing　steel。　　Now　and　then　a　rider　was　unhorsed　in　the　furious　rush；　and　went　scrambling　out　of　harm；　while　the　steed　galloped　off　with　free　rein。　　This　display　was　followed　by　that　of　the　flying　artillery；　battalion　after　battalion；　which　came　clattering　and　roaring　along；　in　double　lines　stretching　half　across　the　field；　stopped　and　rapidly　discharged　its　pieces；　waking　up　all　the　region　with　echoes；　filling　the　plain　with　the　smoke　of　gunpowder；　and　starting　into　rearing　activity　all　the　carriage…horses　in　the　Bois。　　How　long　this　continued　I　do　not　know；　nor　how　many　men　participated　in　the　review；　but　they　seemed　to　pour　up　from　the　far　end　in　unending　columns。　　I　think　the　regiments　must　have　charged　over　and　over　again。　　It　gave　some　people　the　impression　that　there　were　a　hundred　thousand　troops　on　the　ground。　　I　set　it　at　fifteen　to　twenty　thousand。　　Gallignani　next　morning　said　there　were　only　six　thousand！　　After　the　charging　was　over；　the　reviewing　party　rode　to　the　center　of　the　field；　and　the　troops　galloped　round　them；　and　the　Emperor　distributed　decorations。　　We　could　recognize　the　Emperor　and　Empress；　Prince　Albert　in　huzzar　uniform；　with　a　green　plume　in　his　cap；　and　the　Prince　Imperial；　in　cap　and　the　uniform　of　a　lieutenant；　on　horseback　in　front；　while　the　Princess　occupied　a　carriage　behind　them。

There　was　a　crush　of　people　at　the　entrance　to　see　the　royals　make　their　exit。　　Gendarmes　were　busy；　and　mounted　guards　went　smashing　through　the　crowd　to　clear　a　space。　　Everybody　was　on　the　tiptoe　of　expectation。　　There　is　a　portion　of　the　Emperor's　guard；　there　is　an　officer　of　the　household；